Bastrop County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bastrop County
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The Bastrop County Courthouse in Bastrop is designed in classical revival style. Built in 1883, the Courthouse and Jail Complex were listed in the National Register of Historic Places on November 20, 1975.
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Location within the U.S. state of Texas
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 Texas's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| Founded | 1837 |
| Named for | Felipe Enrique Neri, Baron de Bastrop |
| Seat | Bastrop |
| Largest city | Elgin |
| Area | |
| • Total | 896 sq mi (2,320 km2) |
| • Land | 888 sq mi (2,300 km2) |
| • Water | 7.4 sq mi (19 km2) 0.8% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 97,216 |
| • Density | 108.50/sq mi (41.892/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional districts | 10th, 17th, 27th |
Bastrop County is located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is in Central Texas and its county seat is Bastrop.
As of the 2020 census, the population was 97,216. Bastrop County is included in the Austin–Round Rock, Texas, metropolitan statistical area.
Contents
Boundary changes
From January 8, 1836 to December 13, 1837, the Municipality and County of Mina consisted of parts of present-day Mason, Kimble, Llano, Burnet, Williamson, Gillespie, Blanco, Comal, Hays, Travis, Caldwell, Bastrop, Lee, Gonzales, Fayette, Washington, and Lavaca counties. On December 14, 1837, the Second Congress of the Republic of Texas passed legislation changing the geographical limits, creating Fayette County, removing Gonzales and Caldwell Counties from the boundaries and, five months later, added parts of Kimble and Comal Counties. On December 18, 1837, Sam Houston signed an act incorporating the town of Mina and, on the same day, changing the name of the county and town of Mina to Bastrop. May 24, 1838 to January 24, 1840, shows the borders of Bastrop County to contain parts of present-day Blanco, Burnet, Williamson, Travis, Hays, Comal, Caldwell, Bastrop, Lee, Gonzales and Fayette counties. From January 25, 1840 to January 25, 1850 the border changed to almost its present size with a small portion of Lee, Williamson, Caldwell, Gonzales and Fayette counties included. TxGenWeb
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 896 square miles (2,320 km2), of which 888 square miles (2,300 km2) is land and 7.4 square miles (19 km2) (0.8%) is water.
Adjacent counties
- Williamson County (north)
- Lee County (northeast)
- Fayette County (southeast)
- Caldwell County (southwest)
- Travis County (northwest)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 3,099 | — | |
| 1860 | 7,006 | 126.1% | |
| 1870 | 12,209 | 74.3% | |
| 1880 | 17,215 | 41.0% | |
| 1890 | 20,736 | 20.5% | |
| 1900 | 26,845 | 29.5% | |
| 1910 | 25,344 | −5.6% | |
| 1920 | 26,649 | 5.1% | |
| 1930 | 23,888 | −10.4% | |
| 1940 | 21,610 | −9.5% | |
| 1950 | 19,622 | −9.2% | |
| 1960 | 16,925 | −13.7% | |
| 1970 | 17,297 | 2.2% | |
| 1980 | 24,726 | 42.9% | |
| 1990 | 38,263 | 54.7% | |
| 2000 | 57,733 | 50.9% | |
| 2010 | 74,171 | 28.5% | |
| 2020 | 97,216 | 31.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 42,446 | 45,751 | 57.23% | 47.06% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 5,535 | 5,460 | 7.46% | 5.62% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 315 | 312 | 0.42% | 0.32% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 449 | 718 | 0.61% | 0.74% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 54 | 63 | 0.07% | 0.06% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 115 | 417 | 0.16% | 0.43% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 1,067 | 3,011 | 1.44% | 3.10% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 24,190 | 41,484 | 32.61% | 42.67% |
| Total | 74,171 | 97,216 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.
Historical research
Bastrop County has several societies and associations dedicated to preserving historical information and sites.
Transportation
Central Texas Airport has been proposed about ten miles 10 miles (16 km) NW of the town of Bastrop, but has met with local opposition.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 290
State Highway 21
State Highway 71
State Highway 95
State Highway 304
Recreational facilities
Communities
Cities
- Bastrop (county seat)
- Elgin (partly in Travis County)
- Mustang Ridge (mostly in Travis County and a small part in Caldwell County)
- Smithville
Census-designated places
Unincorporated communities
In popular culture
Several Hollywood feature films and notable independent films have used locations in Bastrop County.
| Year | Film | Top Billed Cast | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Lovin' Molly | Anthony Perkins, Blythe Danner | Bastrop |
| 1975 | The Great Waldo Pepper | Robert Redford, Bo Svenson | Elgin |
| 1994 | Love and a .45 | Gil Bellows, Renée Zellweger | Bastrop (Gas station) |
| 1995 | The Big Green | Steve Guttenberg, Olivia d'Abo | Elgin |
| 1996 | Courage Under Fire | Denzel Washington, Meg Ryan | Bastrop |
| 1996 | The Whole Wide World | Vincent D'Onofrio, Renée Zellweger | Bastrop |
| 1997 | The Only Thrill | Diane Keaton, Sam Shepard | Bastrop |
| 1998 | The Dentist 2 | Corbin Bernsen, Jillian McWhirter | Smithville |
| 1998 | Home Fries | Drew Barrymore, Luke Wilson | Bastrop |
| 1998 | Hope Floats | Sandra Bullock, Harry Connick Jr. | Smithville |
| 1999 | Varsity Blues | James Van Der Beek, Amy Smart | Elgin |
| 1999 | The Soul Collector | Bruce Greenwood, Melissa Gilbert | Bastrop |
| 2004 | Friday Night Lights | Billy Bob Thornton, Lucas Black | Elgin |
| 2004 | The Alamo | Dennis Quaid, Billy Bob Thornton | Bastrop Jim Small's Big Thicket (Lake camp scenes) Steiner Ranch (Bexar & Alamo scenes) |
| 2006 | All the Boys Love Mandy Lane | Amber Heard, Anson Mount | Bastrop |
| 2008 | Fireflies in the Garden | Julia Roberts, Ryan Reynolds | Bastrop (T. A. Hasler House) Smithville |
| 2009 | The Tree of Life | Brad Pitt, Sean Penn | Smithville |
| 2009 | Friday the 13th (2009 film) | Jared Padalecki, Derek Mears | Camp |
| 2010 | Bernie | Matthew McConaughey, Jack Black | Bastrop Smithville |
| 2013 | Prince Avalanche | Paul Rudd, Emile Hirsch | Bastrop |
| 2014 | Boyhood | Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke | Bastrop |
Education
The following school districts serve Bastrop County:
- Bastrop Independent School District
- Elgin Independent School District (partial)
- Lexington Independent School District (partial)
- McDade Independent School District
- Smithville Independent School District (partial)
Austin Community College is the designated community college for most of the county. Areas in Lexington ISD are in Blinn Junior College District.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Bastrop para niños
